I am doing a new sermon series called Pilgrimage, based off the book Does Your Church have a Prayer? Marc Brown, one of the authors, is coaching me through the first little bit of my new appointment. What I love is the very Biblical perspective he (and the other authors) take on church turn arounds and getting congregations to the Promised Land. This is a great quote about preaching I thought I would share...

"Preaching is an act of faith. Painting on the canvas of scripture, preachers tell the story of sin and redemption, tragedy and hope, death and resurrection. Within the rich colors and hues of the Christian faith, preachers connect Jesus' present generation of disciples with the ongoing story of God's love. Interwoven in this fabric of divine hope preachers have the sacred responsibility of sharing the message of salvation. As Paul describes this task: For since, in the wisdom of GOd, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who belive. (1 Corinthians 1:21)" p.108